Frontosa Care and Breeding

A Popular Freshwater Aquarium Cichlid from Lake Tanganyika

Jan 14, 2009 Douglas DuHamel

Frontosa are one of the more desirable and expensive African cichlids because of their beautiful colors and docile personality.

Frontosa are deep-water inhabitants of Lake Tanganyika and are one of the largest cichlids found in the Rift Lakes of Africa. Their scientific name is cyphotilapia frontosa and they are sometimes called the Tanganyikan Humphead or Fronts as a nickname.

Frontosa dwell on the lake bottom where the depth can be over 100 feet. They feed on snails and mussels which cling to the rocky floor. When captured, they have to be raised to the surface in stages in order to avoid getting the bends which is an affliction of deep sea divers.

Because the collection of Frontosa is more difficult, they are considered a rare fish and are more expensive than other cichlids. Even those that are bred in captivity are sold at a high price. Their beautiful colors make them a desirable fish for an aquarium.

Characteristics of Frontosa

Their most predominant trait is the large hump located on its forehead or frontal lobe which develops as the fish matures. Both the male and female have the cranial hump but the one on the male is larger.

Frontosa have a striking appearance with a white or blue body and six or seven black vertical stripes. Major types of Frontosa include: Kapampas, Burundi, Zambian Blues, Zaire Kitumbas, Gibberosa Kavala, and Karilani.

These fish get quite large with a body length of 14 inches so they need a large tank. Frontosa should be kept in groups of at least five to twelve. For a colony, a 125-gallon tank should be used at minimum.

Frontosa do well in a community tank because they are not aggressive, though they can be territorial. Fish of comparable size can be put in the same aquarium as long as they meet the same water conditions. Smaller fish are not recommended because they could be eaten.

There are no special dietary requirements for Frontosa. They will eat pellets, flakes and frozen peas or fresh lettuce, tubaflex worms and krill.

Aquarium Conditions for Frontosa

To replicate the habitat of Lake Tanganyika, the bottom of the aquarium should have rocks and secure caves for hiding places. They also like to have open swimming areas in the tank. Unlike many cichlid species, Frontosa will not eat or disturb plants.

The water must be constantly moving and well-oxygenated so a power head or air stones are essential. Weekly water changes of 10 to 20% should be done. Frontosa are very sensitive to fluctuations in water conditions so only small changes should be done.

The Ph should range from 8.0 to 8.5 and water hardness should be 12 to 15 dGH. The ideal water temperature should range from 74 to 79 degrees F.

Breeding Frontosa

Females won`t breed until they are six inches long. They are mouth brooders and it takes a while for the female to learn to not to eat her eggs. Frontosa like to spawn in large caves or clay flower pots set up in the aquarium. They don’t have large batches of fry; usually 25 to 40 babies.

The mother carries the eggs in her mouth for 28 days. At the end of the term, the fry will peek out of their mother’s mouth and make short trips out of the mouth when the lights are turned out. When the fry get bigger, the mother will eventually release them forever.

Frontosa are curious and will rush to the spot where the owner is looking into the tank. If the owner dips food into the tank, the tamer fish will it out of the owner’s hand.

Mouth Brooding African Cichlids

Breeding Tropheus Moorii Cichlids

The copyright of the article Frontosa Care and Breeding in Freshwater Fish is owned by Douglas DuHamel. Permission to republish Frontosa Care and Breeding in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.